


Spellbound

by medicalfanatic



Series: To Love Her Is To Love The Stars [1]
Category: The Worst Witch (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Slow Burn, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-03
Updated: 2018-02-03
Packaged: 2019-03-13 01:07:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13559451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/medicalfanatic/pseuds/medicalfanatic
Summary: "Lips slightly parted and her hazel eyes wide with exhilaration, she could barely bring herself to let go of Pippa. There was nothing Hecate wanted more than to sink back into her body, inhale the sweet scent of roses and feel her soft lips on her skin once more." - A story of how Hicsqueak met, grew and fell in love. Angst/romance/slow burn f/f. All reviews greatly appreciated!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! A few chapters, some including line breaks to avoid there being more chapter than needed. Hope you enjoy, and all reviews are greatly appreciated! (@medicalfanatic on Tumblr)

Potions quietly bubbled away amongst the chitter-chatter of the St Hubbard's Year 1 potions class. The class of young students were sitting in rows, facing the rather formidable Ms Faversham, with two to a cauldron. After 3 weeks of settling in, the witches were starting to learn more interesting potions, such as the Shrinking Potion they were currently meant to be practising. However, all but one of the girls were far too busy chatting instead of focusing on the classwork. Hecate Hardbroom, a tall, timid witch was, as always, sitting in the back corner. Ever since the first lesson, she'd always had a cauldron to herself; her shy, studious nature and ability to resist gossiping about the latest Year 1 nonsense had already marked her as an outcast. Thick, dark hair pulled back into a tight French braid, the witch had alabaster skin, only further accentuated by her sharp cheekbones and dark plum lips. By any account, the witch was striking and, to any who cared to notice, extremely clever. Intelligence had never come easily to her; however, through dedicated studies and putting countless hours of work in, she had the ability to come top in any class she chose.  
Head resting in her hands, Hecate was reading ahead for tomorrow's lesson when suddenly the classroom door swung open.  
"Miss Pentangle. Late again." Ms Faversham spat. A young, beautiful witch with a pink bow in her hair stood at the door, nervously wringing her delicate hands. "What was it this time? Helping a poor, lost soul once again?"  
"Sorry Miss, I was trying to get a scared familiar from under a bookshelf-"  
"I do not care. Do not come late to my lesson again girl or you'll be going straight to the Headmaster's office. Do I make myself clear?" With a reputation as an extremely strict disciplinarian, Ms Faversham was not a woman to get on the wrong side of - even the new Year 1s weren't exempt from her sharp tongue. Several of the young witches were desperately trying to make eye contact with Pippa; she had already become one of the most popular students in the year, and almost everyone in the class wanted her as their cauldron partner. Almost. Finally allowing herself to be dragged out of her reading, Hecate looked up at the young witch at the door. Although she'd never spoken to her, it had been practically impossible to avoid hearing about Pippa - she was one of those people who was effortlessly popular and instantly became someone everyone knew about. At first Hecate had just assumed she was shallow and perhaps ditsy like all her other friends; however, in classes she had started to notice Pippa. The witch was far cleverer than Hecate had given her credit for. Just yesterday had Pippa put her hand up to discuss the powerful healing properties of _Origanum dictamnus_ with Ms Faversham; immediately after, Hecate went to the library to read up on the plant (of which she had never heard of), quietly impressed by the blonde's knowledge.  
"Y-yes Miss." Pippa stuttered, the fear evident in her wide eyes.  
"Good. Go sit with Hecate." Ms Faversham pointed a finger towards the back bench of the room, as if dismissing Pippa to the corner was her punishment.  
"But I always sit wi-"  
"You are starting to test my patience young lady."  
"Yes. Sorry Ms Faversham." Head lowered, Pippa shuffled through the room, various pitying looks following her as she moved.  
Hecate quietly sighed to herself as she moved the textbooks splayed over her desk; having a cauldron to herself had been quite a luxury. Obviously she wasn't going to argue with the teacher - it would go against Hecate's very nature. However, she had learnt the hard way that it was always easier to work alone. Disappointment at being picked last had never been pleasant - the witch reasoned it was better to decide to be alone, than be made lonely.  
Eyes shining with vigour, Pippa gave a gracious smile as she sat down next to Hecate. "Hi! I'm Pippa. Sorry, I realise you'd probably rather work alone." She apologised.  
Surprised, Hecate looked up at the blonde; it was either sweet or ignorant of the girl to introduce herself and ignore the impossibility of Hecate not knowing who she was. Hecate couldn't decide which one it was. Just as she was about to respond, she breathed in the beautiful scent she had ever experienced. Swirling vanilla and sweet orchids, intertwined with the most delicate bunch of fresh roses. Instantly Hecate was in a quiet summer's meadow, flowing wild flowers brushing against her legs. Calmness washed over the brunette.  
Suddenly, as Pippa gave a small polite cough, Hecate was woken from her daydream.  
"O-oh. Yes. I'm Hecate Hardbroom." It was all she could say, afraid of embarrassing herself any further; a blush flushed her alabaster cheeks, deepening as she noticed the jealous glares from Pippa's friends.  
For a while, the two students worked in companiable silence, the quiet striking against the loud din of the Year 1 classroom.  
"I hope you don't mind me saying, but your hair is rather beautiful." Pippa suddenly spoke, her quiet voice just reaching Hecate. The blonde had always seen the best in people; she hadn't failed to notice Hecate's thick, lucious curls always trapped in a tight bun or French braid.  
"T-thankyou." Shock briefly flitted across the brunette's face - Pippa was so far proving to be the exact opposite of what Hecate had assumed. Not only was she clever, but she was also kind and genuine.  
For the rest of the lesson, the pair worked in quiet harmony, completing two perfect versions of the Shrinking Potion. Somehow, although they barely knew eachother, they worked together seamlessly; Hecate would hand over the hollyhock seeds before Pippa had even for asked them and in return she had shown Hecate one of the illustrations from her book.  
"Bluebells are one of the loveliest plants. I just love the little droplets; so delicate and elegant." Pippa murmured, gently running her fingers over the detailed illustration. She had always loved plants and potions - she adored the way the ingredients, all exquisite in their own right, combined to make something truly magical. Potions were exhilarating. However, Hecate had always treasured potions for a very different reason; the practicality of following a list, with specific ingredients and quantities, appealed to her perfectionist nature. Everything had to be perfectly balanced or the potion would be rendered powerless. Hecate had to admit that Pippa's way of looking at the magical speciality was far more exciting.  
"I've never looked at plants like you do." Hecate murmured, her heart beating heavy against her chest for a reason she couldn't explain.  
"Class dismissed. Get out!" Ms Faversham's loud shout abruptly shattered the calmness that had descended on both witches. As they were brought back to the classroom, Hecate quickly stood up and grabbed her books. A small smile flitted across her face as she gave Pippa a shy nod.  
"I hope to see you around, Hecate Hardbroom." Looking up at the brunette, Pippa spoke with depth, choosing to ignore the calls of Elise and Melody outside the classroom.  
"And you Pippa Pentangle." Hecate quickly walked out the room, her movement followed by Pippa's thoughtful gaze.


	2. Chpater 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thankyou all for reading the last chapter. More fluff now, enjoy! All reviews are greatly appreciated :)

Due to the small size of the school, it was practically impossible for Hecate to go anywhere without hearing about or seeing Pippa. Just walking down the corridors guaranteed a sighting of Pippa; whilst Hecate was always alone, her head usually buried in a book, Pippa was always surrounded by a hoarde of her pretty friends, their loud giggles bouncing off the stone walls. Hecate's attention was inevitably captured by the most delicate laugh of them all - Pippa's. Whenever she heard her giggle or saw a flash of pink amongst the black, the brunette longed to experience the unparalleled scent of being near Pippa just one more time.  
In their next potions lesson, no matter how hard Hecate wished in her head, Ms Faversham was unforgiving. Pippa was told, in no uncertain terms, to sit back in her old seat.  
"Last lesson those girls did nothing but chatter and waste time. Pippa you are a good influence - you will sit back with them."  
Glancing over at Hecate, already working on their newly-set Sleeping Potion, a frown creased her forehead. "But Miss I would prefer-"  
"Do not argue with me girl. Or else you can sit outside."  
"Yes Miss." As she picked up her bag, Pippa looked up into Hecate's hazel eyes. She mouthed 'sorry' with an apologetic shrug; the blonde was aware they didn't know each other that well, but there was something about being in Hecate's presence that had made her feel at ease and she would've much preferred to sit with Hecate and actually do some classwork.  
For the rest of the lesson, the two witches worked alone. Whilst Pippa was surrounded by her friends, most of them hadn't even bothered to open their textbooks let alone help Pippa with the potion. She was, as usual, left to do it all by herself. On the other side of the classroom, Hecate remained the only witch on the whole back bench, with nothing but textbooks and her thoughts to keep her company. Every so often she'd glance over at Pippa and watch the hard-working witch add a new ingredient to her potion. It was strange, seeing Pippa work so hard whilst surrounded by her idle, loud friends; it made the pink, glamorous witch stand out even more.  
Next time Hecate glanced over, she caught the eye of Elise, one of Pippa's closest friends. A snide sneer covered her face as she whispered something to her friends. As they all turned around, pointing and laughing at Hecate, the young witch's shoulders tensed and she forced herself back to her work. Absorbed in her studies, Pippa hadn't noticed her friends laughing and making fun of the brunette - for some reason, Hecate felt very relieved that she hadn't realised.  
Sighing as she carefully put her unsused ingredients away, Hecate was unusually glad it was the end of the lesson. Of course she liked working alone but it had been rather enjoyable having company last lesson. As she gathered up her books, Hecate realised something. The whole lesson she had kept the open a page detailing the uses of bluebells. Swirling leaves adorned the page before Hecate slammed the book shut and strode out of the room.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sharp pains ran up Hecate's right arm as she carried her books down the hallway. Having been uncharacteristically distracted by a certain pink witch, she had turned too sharply in flying lessons and had ended up jolting her wrist. Shifting her books to her left side, Hecate absentmindedly walked into the sun-drenched potions classroom. However, when she finally looked up, she realised she was not alone. Considering she always turned up early to every lesson, Hecate found this odd; as she shielded her eyes against the blaring sunlight, she realised who was sitting next to her empty chair.  
"Hello Hecate!" Pippa quipped, her voice loud against the silence. As Hecate approached the desk and put down her books, Pippa gave her a bright, wide smile. "I hope you don't mind but I figured if I'm already sitting here hopefully she won't notice my rearrangement." Looking at the slightly confused witch next to her, she continued. "I enjoyed working with you and was hoping if you feel the same we could work tog-"  
"Yes. I would like that." Hecate murmured, aware of the warmth creeping across her cheeks.  
"Let's hope Ms Faversham is feeling nicer than usual today." As the other students began to trickle into the classroom, Pippa opened her textbook. "I wanted to show you this. It's called _Galanthus_ , more commonly known as snowdrops and they're related to-"  
"Bluebells." Hecate guessed, earning a beaming smile from Pippa.  
"Yes! Although they have no known magical use, they're still one of my favourite plants. They thrive when the weather's freezing - I love them because they look delicate but are definitely not." Every time Hecate listened to Pippa she was amazed. Amazed that this glamorous, pretty girl was so much more than her looks - she was not only intelligent but also appreciated magic and always managed to surprise Hecate. Wonderment was a new but exciting feeling.  
"Sit down." Slamming the door closed, Ms Faversham gave a hoarse cough before slumping down on her desk. With a sniff, she squinted up at the girls before her. "Today you will be making me a well-being potion. I do not want to hear a peep from anyone." With a final (watery) glare, the usually fearful teacher promptly fell asleep.  
At first, the girls weren't quite sure what to do. A few grumbling snores escaped the sleeping teacher. Slowly, the students began whispering, murmuring, then, as they realised Ms Faversham was out for the count, talking. Elise, Melody and Tiana began gossiping and braiding each other's hair, the potions class already long forgotten.  
"Let's try and make the well-being potion!" Pippa smiled wide at the brunette witch, the excitement clear in her voice.  
"But it's on the Year 3 syllabus." Uncertainty wavered in Hecate's mumble. She anxiously looked around the room at the predictable Year 1 chaos starting to ensue. If normal, unsupervised school classrooms were chaotic, then magical classrooms were exponentially worse. Just last week, a substitute teacher in their chanting class had led to a rather unfortunate encounter with hundreds of bats living in the roof of the school.  
"I know. However we make a pretty good team and-"  
"Okay. I agree." With a subdued smile, Hecate went to open her textbook to the Year 3 chapter; however, as she turned the pages, sharp pains ran through her wrist. "Ouch!"  
"Hecate? What's wrong?"  
"In flying lessons I hurt my wrist." Hecate wisely elected not to tell Pippa exactly what (or whom) has distracted her. "It's been painful ever since."  
"Perhaps a sip of our potion might help heal it?" Pippa asked, hope in her voice.  
"Perhaps." Hecate gave a small smile at the blonde's bright tone.  
For the rest of the lesson, the two girls happily worked together to make the potion; Hecate read out the ingredients whilst Pippa prepared and added them to their bubbling cauldron. The potion consisted of rarer ingredients such as purified fairy wings and sugared wattleseed, many of which were so advanced most of their fellow classmates had never even heard of them. Whenever Pippa noticed Hecate trying to use her right hand, she made sure to help; she couldn't bear the grimace of pain that would flit across the brunette's face.  
"Are we finished?" Pippa asked, peering curiously into the shimmering purple liquid.  
"Yes. Here-" Hecate handed the blonde a nearby glass vial to decant some for their teacher. Meanwhile, she dipped a delicate finger in the liquid and, scrunching up her nose, timidly licked some of the potion.  
"How does it taste? Do you feel any different?" Pippa asked, smiling at the witch's crinkled expression.  
"My wrist is tingling - I hope that means it's working."  
"So do I."  
Whilst the few remaining students began to walk out of the room, Hecate packed up her belongings; ignoring the dull ache from her wrist, she placed the vial on Ms Faversham's desk before turning to Pippa. "See you around Pippa."  
"Definitely." A smile tugged at the witch's pink lips; Hecate's shy, unassuming nature was the opposite of Pippa's and it was one of many things she had already warmed to. Suddenly, a bright idea popped into the clever blonde's head - Pippa knew exactly what she could do to help her friend.

With one hour left before curfew, Hecate was curled up in bed, getting in some blissful reading. Although she could hear girls giggling in the bedrooms near her, the witch's mind was solely focused on one of her favourite books from her mother - Potions Inspired by The Ancient Greeks by Drusilla Cartwright. Draped across her shoulder, her thick hair was loosely wound into a French braid, a few wild curls remaining untamed. Whilst Hecate's wrist was definitely feeling better since drinking the well-being potion, a dull ache still persisted; the witch hoped that with a few more days rest, her wrist would heal itself in time for her next flying test. Just as Hecate became lost in the history of Ancient Greek healing potions, a sudden knock at the door made her jump. She was tempted to brush it off as a mistake - surely it was someone who had the wrong room? In over three weeks of being here, Hecate hadn't received a single visitor and she definitely wasn't expecting anyone. Uncertain, she chose to ignore the flashes of gossiping girls and mean pranks that came to mind, choosing instead to focus on her book. However, as the knocks arrived again, now slightly more insistent, she sighed.  
"Come in." Voice wavering, Hecate anxiously watched the door as it opened. She tensed, expecting the arrival of water balloons or something even worse. But she was pleasantly surprised; a pink sleeve gave away the identity of her visitor.  
As Pippa walked into the room, her slight frame adorned by fuchsia pyjamas and a fluffy robe, she gave Hecate a huge smile.  
"Hello! Sorry to arrive unannounced; I just wanted to pop by and see how you were feeling." Pressed tightly to her chest, the blonde was carrying a metal tin and a dog eared hardback. With an uncertain glance, Pippa handed the tin to Hecate before perching on the edge of her bed. "I brought you these." Opening the tin, Hecate cautiously peeled back the parchment paper to reveal a stack of golden biscuits flecked with purple. "Although I created them with magic, I still hope you like them; I've never used the spell before!"  
"A-are they lavender shortbreads?" Hecate questioned, a confused frown lining her forehead. Seeing Pippa's nod elicited a curious smile from the brunette. "But they're my favourite! How did you know?" Hecate murmured, looking first at Pippa then the biscuits with a sense of amazed wonderment.  
"Okay this is going to sound rather peculiar-" Pippa sharply inhaled, sending her blonde curls cascading over her rising shoulders. "-but I saw you eating them. At the introduction feast on our first day here, when everyone else was eating trifle and whatnot, you caught my eye because you were eating these biscuits that nobody else had even noticed, and you looked so happy." Hecate's smile spurred Pippa to continue. "And so when I saw how much your wrist was hurting, I thought they might help to cheer you up!"  
"Thank you. That was very kind of you." Happiness overwhelmed Hecate; in that moment she felt happier than a husky in the snow. One of the most intelligent, interesting and beautiful girls in the whole school had made her favourite cookies and come to check if she was okay - there were so many foreign emotions it was hard to know what to do. Just as she thought things couldn't get more unpredictable, Pippa leant over and pulled her into a tight hug. With a smile, Hecate placed her hands on the blonde's back; it had been quite a while since she'd been hugged so tightly. Giving her one final squeeze, Pippa grinned as she released Hecate and sat back. Immediately Hecate missed the contact and yearned for the hug to be longer. Never had she felt like this; even from a young age the witch had been good at controlling her emotions and she wasn't used to feeling so giddy.  
"How's the wrist feeling?" Pippa asked, her eyes wide with concern.  
"It's feeling a lot better, all thanks to you!" Hearing the worry in Pippa's voice and seeing the anxiety in her eyes warmed Hecate's heart; it felt so lovely to have someone care about her and, seeing as she didn't dare tell her parents she had hurt her wrist due to flying whilst distracted, it was nice for someone to know about her injury and want to help.  
"Oh I am glad."  
"C-can I ask you a question?" Hecate whispered after a few moments of silence, her voice wavering with uncertainty.  
"Of course!"  
"Are...are we friends now?" Her voice quiet, her shoulders released a tension she didn't even realise she'd been holding upon seeing a warm, infectious grin light up Pippa's features.  
"Yes! Oh Hecate we're definitely friends now. Tomorrow I really hope we can be cauldron partners again - broomsticks crossed that Ms Faversham doesn't mind!" Slightly bouncing on the bed with excitement, Pippa smiled; she'd always loved making new friends but something told her that Hecate would be an even better friend than those she'd already met at St Hubbards.  
"Definitely! Perhaps our potion has earned us some brownie points?"  
"Hopefully." Pippa glanced down at the book still clasped tight to her chest - she'd forgotten all about it. "I brought this and thought you might like to see it? It's about magical and rare crystals."  
"That sounds wonderful." Shuffling closer to the blonde, Hecate couldn't have felt more comfortable. How strange; she'd never really had a proper friend and suddenly she had one, just like that. She looked eagerly at Pippa, eyes wide with curiosity and happiness.  
For the rest of the evening, the two young witches talked about many things: crystals, potions, magic and life in general. The more they spoke, the more they realised how different they were; the sardonic, practical Hecate compared to the kind hearted and whimsical Pippa. Despite this, they also began to see how similar they were. Both girls loved magic with all their hearts - they each adored the practical aspects of applying magic to everyday life, but as Hecate soon begun to realise, they both appreciated how beautiful and wondrous magic was and how lucky they were to have such special blood running through their veins.  
As the sun set and evening air grew cold, the girls never for one second run out of things to talk about; Pippa would speak animatedly about her favourite crystal (rose quartz), her eager, waving hands causing Hecate to smile, and the brunette would counter with a little-known use or property. Pippa's heart was beating fast with passion and excitement - all her life she had adored going to school. However in recent years, her looks along with her friendly nature had meant she'd easily fallen in with the popular crowd, most of whom couldn't care less about ancient crystals or newfound plants she had always loved to read about. As a result, there was little opportunity in her life to talk about the things that she treasured; at home, her parents had always encouraged learning and broadening her horizons. Furthermore, Pippa was quickly learning to love the sarcasm that dripped out of Hecate's tones. Although she was young, the brunette's tongue was still whip-sharp and her dry wit had made Pippa snort with laughter on more than one occasion that evening. Just as Hecate was about to eat yet another lavender shortbread (they really were delicious), a sharp knock tapped on the door before it opened.  
"Pippa Pentangle. I thought I could hear you. Please get to bed now, it is well past curfew and I do not want to ask you again. Goodnight." Matron's loud, imposing voice was harsh against the quiet, content aura surrounding the two witches. With a pointed eyebrow raise at Pippa, she left the room, leaving Pippa quickly scrambling to collect her belongings. Time had flew by so fast - both girls were oblivious to the fact that it was over an hour past curfew, and most of the other witches in the school were already sound asleep.  
"Thank you for letting me visit you. Goodnight Hecate, see you tomorrow!" Smiling, Pippa gave a final wave before she tiptoed down the cold stone hallway, her steps as quiet as a library at midnight.  
"Goodnight Pippa Pentangle." Hecate whispered to herself, crumbs of lavender shortbread scattered over her pyjamas. Her heart was a thunderstorm against her ribs; she couldn't keep the delight off her face. A real, very beautiful and clever friend had actually come to visit her, just to see if she was alright. Settling down to sleep, Hecate inhaled the beautifully sweet scent Pippa left wherever she went; sweet, pink roses and delicate orchids swirled through the air, calming Hecate and sending her off into a blissful sleep. Throughout the night, the young witch dreamt of gorgeous girls with blonde curls, infectious giggles and the kindest eyes. For once, Hecate would've preferred to stay in bed and dream than get up and go to school.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! This chapter is quite 'bitty' so please forgive the use of line breaks. Enjoy :)

A winter chill settled in the morning air; it had been three weeks since Pippa gifted her with the lavender shortbreads, but Hecate could still feel small crumbs on her mattress as she rose from her bed. With a wave of her hand, she silenced her alarm - learning that spell had definitely come in handy - and began to get ready for school. Seeing potions first period on her timetable made her smile.

Eyes crinkled with a happy grin, Pippa gazed at Hecate as she walked into the classroom and took the seat next to her. Her heart swelled with delight as she watched the brunette unpack her bag; their friendship had grown and grown, with Pippa always choosing Hecate to be partners with (and Hecate always saying yes). For the past few weeks they'd sat together every single potions lesson; Ms Faversham hadn't mentioned the unauthorised change of cauldron partners, to both of the witches' relief. Despite Pippa's change in location, her other friends remained ever-eager to please. Every lesson Pippa would receive smiles from the girls, with Melody often trying to involve her in the latest joke or gossip, and Tiana always offering to help Pippa with her bag or books. However, as soon as Pippa's back was turned or she was busy with classwork, it was the same in every lesson - the girls, Tiana in particular, would begin teasing Hecate. Harsh sneers and glares hurt the poor witch, her heart beating fast as Elise mouthed 'pathetic' at her or one of them aimed a piece of pondweed at her head. At first they had bothered Hecate immensely; deep down she was a sensitive girl and couldn't help feel that Pippa, the beautiful and kindhearteed Pippa, deserved a friend much better than Hecate by her side. Eventually, as Hecate revealed more of herself to Pippa and Pippa still remined loyal, Hecate had learnt to ignore the rude girls, instead choosing to stick out her toungue if she was feeling particularly belligerent.  
Thanks to Pippa helping Hecate with her writing and carrying her books around school, the witch's wirst wasn't hurting anymore; once again she could fly with her unrivalled precision and skill, artfully darting in and out of the other students like she was on a slalom. Well, unrivalled except one - Pippa Pentangle. As ever, the two girls were equally brilliant at flying, as they were in every other class. Hecate was used to competing to always be the best and never settling for anything less than perfection - a lesson installed in her by her strict parents from a young age - but with Pippa it was different. For once, not being the best didn't make Hecate feel inadequate. Both girls were equal in everything they'd competed in so far; whilst both wanting to win (and not being used to losing), they each also wanted the other to do well. Any competitions always ended with smiles and laughter, with Pippa naturally linking arms with Hecate and the two walking off together, giggling over another private joke.  
Around school they had become virtually inseperable; even in the library they'd sit on a secluded table together, just the two of them, both completely comfortable working in the studious and companionable silence. Occasionally they'd share a smile or Pippa would briefly touch Hecate's arm, wanting to show her a certain page or illustration; the girls were becoming closer by the day, by the minute.

Concentrated frown lines creasing her forehead. Pippa had her head buryed in a book. Both witches were in the library, studying for their upcoming history of magic test. Their teacher, old and disorganised, was far more proficient than her hectic appearance let on; she had a wealth of knowledge surrounding the history of witchcraft. Their uncoming test was on the history of transferreance spells, of which their teacher was something of an expert - they were not expecting an easy test and as a result were getting in some extra revision the evening before their exam. Aside from a small group of Year 3 prefects, the library was empty; most students were relaxing with their friends and cats in their rooms. As Pippa continued to read about the development of international transference spells in the 13th Century, she couldn't help but notice the constant movement out of the corner of her eye. Looking up, she watched amused as Hecate continued to shift in her wooden chair. Every so often, Hecate's shoulders would quickly jump up, followed by a quick roll of the eyes before she continued to move in her seat.  
"Everything okay, Hecate?" Pippa murmured, her eyebrows raised in curiosity.  
"I am trying to keep quiet but I have the-" Suddenly she hiccupped, an embarrassed blush colouring her cheeks. "Hiccups." The witch rolled her eyes at the wide smile on Pippa's lips.  
"Oh dear!" Pippa giggled, a gleeful glint sparkling in her hazel eyes. "Okay let me search for a spell to help you." Reaching across the table, she grabbed one of the books on their collective pile and opened it to a specific section. "It says there are several spells to cause hiccups-"  
"Why would someone want (hic) to have hiccups?" Hecate pondered, trying to quell the sharp contractions moving through her body every couple of seconds. Her thoughts earned an even wider smile from the blonde.  
"However I can't see any that can cure hiccups." Closing the book, the blonde looked back up at Hecate with a playful smile. "I suppose we'll just have to wait them out!"  
"But (hic) they're getting worse!" Hecate exclaimed in as much urgency she could muster in a whisper. As Pippa giggled and Hecate's hiccups continued to get louder, they gained the attention of their fellow students; some of the Year 3 prefects peered over at the source of the sudden noise. Most of the time no-one spoke at all in the library and try as they might to keep their conversation hushed, the hiccups ricocheting from Hecate's chest were becoming louder and much harder to hide.  
"In fact..." Thoughtfully tilting her head to one side, Pippa lightly rested her hand on the brunette's wrist. "The only cure I can think of is giving someone a good fright and scaring the hiccups out of them..." A mischievous glint in her hazel eyes gave away Pippa's otherwise serious demeanour.  
"Miss Pentangle you will do nothing of the sort, thank you very much." Quickly standing up, Hecate gathered up her books and rushed out of the library, laughing softly as she heard Pippa do exactly the same.  
With Pippa hot on Hecate's tail, both witches ran down the hallway, giggling with every hiccup that echoed down the hallway.

An instantly recognisable knock came at Hecate's door just as she was putting her books in her bag.  
"Come in Pippa!" She shouted - it always made her smile how, even though she would never say no to Pippa coming into her room, Pippa had always refused to come in without knocking first. Always so polite.  
Smiling, Pippa walked in to the room, a light pink ribbon dangling from her delicate hands. "Morning! Please can you put this in my hair-"  
"Of course, turn around." Taking the ribbon, Hecate carefully pulled it into a flawless bow around Pippa's blonde ponytail. Obviously Pippa was able to do it herself - but, somehow having Hecate do it instead felt much nicer, and the brunette really could do the most perfect bows. With a flourish, Pippa turned around, thanked Hecate and walked out of the room, Hecate following close behind.

"So you've recovered from last night then, Hiccup?" Pippa asked as the two walked down the corridor towards history of magic classroom, their arms intertwined as always.  
"Yes I have. And how did I know you'd call me that...?" Heavily rolling her eyes, Hecate shuffled her bag to sit more comfortably to sit on her shoulder.  
"Because I'm just so wonderfully smart and inventive?" A playful grin played on Pippa's lips, her casual shrug earning a giggle from Hecate.  
"Shut up." Hecate tutted, gently poking the blonde in her ribs. "Just so you know, last night I decided on a nickname for you - call me 'hiccup' again and I'll have no choice but to use it..."  
"Well obviously you've peaked my interest now so I have to know, hiccup!" Eyebrows shot up into her hairline as Pippa loudly exclaimed, her voice travelling down the corridor. Her smile grew impossibly brighter upon hearing Hecate giggle again - making the brunette laugh had always elicited a warmth within Pippa, and she'd been getting better and better at it.  
"Indeed." Just as the pair were about to enter the classroom, Hecate stopped and leant closer to the blonde. "Good luck for the test, Pipsqueak." With a final glance and smile, Hecate walked off to her seat, leaving a surprised Pippa laughing and shaking her head as she went to her own seat on the other side of the room.

After the test, the two witches walked out together, both smiling once reunited.  
"How did it go, Hiccup?" Pippa asked, linking her arm with Hecate's as they slowly walked out into the courtyard. Their breaths left frosty trails in the cold winter air.  
"Hmm." Casting her mind back to the test paper, the witch could only think of one question that she wasn't certain on. "Alright I think, however I have to admit the question on Italian transference charms was rather difficult. How about you, Pipsqueak?"  
"Alright thank you. I agree that question was quite tricky - I sat thinking about it for ages!" The blonde couldn't help the tinge of frustration in her tone - just like Hecate, she hated whenever she wasn't sure of a question on the test and had already planned to read up more on the Italian charms in the evening. "Anyways...Pipsqueak? Really?" As she laughed, she shook her head, sending blonde curls cascading down her shoulders in a way that fully captured Hecate's attention.  
"Yes, it's perfect!" Hecate responded indignantly, a smile lighting up her features. "Firstly, it's ironic because no-one could ever fail to notice you." As Hecate pointedly looked the blonde up and down, Pippa gave an indulgent smile before gently squeezing Hecate's arm. Of course she loved compliments - who didn't? Yet they seemed to carry so much more meaning coming from Hecate; often, Pippa found herself yearning from a kind word or praise from Hecate unlike she had ever done before. When Hecate said something, she always meant it. Looking into Hecate's kind, shining eyes, Pippa urged her to go on. "Also, it's truthful seeing as when you're focused you're usually quiet like a mouse and...your name is Pippa?" A giggle escaped Pippa's lips as Hecate quickly run out of reasons for her treasured nickname. The two girls jostled and teased each other as they walked through the trees in the courtyard, the leaves frosted with polar icicles.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Over the next few weeks, it continued to become colder and colder, with icicles even starting to hang from the inside of the broomstick cupboard. One evening, straight after dinner, the two witches went arm in arm to Pippa's room; although Hecate's room was quieter thanks to it's more secluded location, Pippa's room was much warmer due to its close proximity to the kitchens.

Sitting on the pink-adorned bed, Hecate started to unpack her books and quill from her bag when Pippa shivered and stood up.  
"Are you cold?" She asked, hugging her delicate arms around her chest.  
"To be honest I am a little chilly Pipsqueak." Whilst Pippa's room was less like the Antarctic than Hecate's, there was only so much stone walls and ancient windows could do to guard against the bitter winter.  
"Okay, one second. Hopefully I can help." After grabbing a bag from her dresser, Pippa quickly departed from the room, leaving a slightly bewildered Hecate alone to settle into one of the many nearby books.  
As the young witch read, her fingers absentmindedly stroked Pippa's familiar, a beautiful ebony cat called Tourmaline (or Ally for short). Just as Hecate was getting into the history of toads (a surprisingly interesting read), Pippa came back into the room, carrying two large rubber bottles in her arms.  
"What are they Pip?" Putting down her book, Hecate looked at the bottles - some kind of portable cauldron perhaps? She had never seen something like it in her life.  
"Hiccup I hope you love them as much as I do." Handing Hecate one of the bottles, Pippa happily sat down on her bed. "They're hot water bottles!" Pippa exclaimed before cradling the hot container against her chest, closing her eyes and letting the warmth seep through her body like sunbeams.  
Eyebrows knitted in confusion, Hecate watched Pippa as she hugged the bottle close to her chest, drawing as much heat from it as possible. "But why can't we just use magic instead?" Bewilderment betrayed itself in the witch's tone.  
"Well of course you can if you like - it's just I love them. They're one the many wonderful things my aunt and uncle always had around the house." Having married a non-wizard, and her aunt herself not a witch (as the magic had skipped her), Pippa's relatives had been a fascinating household to stay in as a child. Growing up with magic all around her, it was so interesting to see ordinary, non-magic people living their lives; in fact, Pippa could hardly believe her eyes when she saw her uncle washing up, seeing as her mother had always used magic to take care of any household chores. Everything she discovered about living without magic had been from her aunt and uncle, both of whom she loved dearly. All because the young witch had never known any different.  
"Well thank you. It is actually rather nice." As Pippa settled down with her bottle pressed tight to her chest, Hecate couldn't help but smile. She often found Pippa endearing, more so every day. Hecate loved the way her friend got so excited about things most magical people barely knew about let alone appreciated - whilst most witches and wizards were dismissive of a life without magic, Hecate loved how Pippa always wanted to discover about how other people lived and she regularly wanted to be more than her magic, more than the blood she was born with. Pippa's extremely affectionate heart was by far her most charming quality to Hecate. In fact, the witch was certain that she'd never met anyone with more love in her heart, or a greater lust for understanding how other people lived their lives.  
The two sat in companionable silence, each revising their separate classes. A steady flow of warmth from the bottles flowed through their veins.  
"Oh Pipsqueak, I forgot to tell you! Yesterday I was practising my turns and I think I saw a small bunch of snowdrops!" Hecate suddenly remembered, quickly looking up from her book.  
"No way!" Pippa gasped, her hazel eyes ablaze with passion for her favourite flower. "Please will you take me to see them first thing tomorrow?"  
"Hmm well perhaps not 'first thing' but of course we can go and see them." Hecate knew exactly what Pippa meant by 'first thing' - she meant bright and early, 7AM, on a Saturday morning. The witch shuddered just thinking about it. As Hecate gently rocked back on the bed, clutching the hot water bottle close to her chest, the brunette tried to remember exactly where she'd seen the patch of white flowers amongst the frost. As ever she was oblivious to Pippa watching her; a smile grew on the blonde's face as she saw how tightly Hecate was holding the hot water bottle. She knew Hecate loved magic (as did she) and the way she had been brought up meant that she hadn't ever considered or understood a life without it - yet every time Pippa had shown the witch something new, she had never rejected it. She was always open to embracing new ideas, already setting her worlds apart from her uncompromising parents; Hecate was an independent witch with her own thoughts and Pippa loved her all the more for it.  
"So what do you think of the hot water bottle?" She asked, giving a pointed look at Hecate's arms wrapped tightly around the bottle.  
"You know, I rather do like it, perhaps even more than a warning spell. I know what you mean about the physical warmth being more comforting."  
"I'm glad you like it Hiccup!" Pippa reached across the gap between them and placed her hand on Hecate's bare wrist, her thumb slowly stroking her skin. For the rest of evening (or up until curfew at least) they stayed exactly like this, with both witches happily reading and Pippa's touch never leaving Hecate's wrist.

After being told off by matron (again), Hecate left Pippa to sleep. Making her way back to her own room, the cold seeped into her body, the lack of hot water bottle and Pippa's close contact already becoming profound. Skin tingling on her wrist, Hecate's heart fluttered as she entered her room and closed the door.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cold breezes whipped the cloaks of both witches as they quickly sped through the air. Although able to fly separately, the two girls always chose to fly together whenever they could. Both sitting on Hecate's broom, the brunette was carefully searching for the small patch of snowdrops in the forest surrounding St Hubbard's below them, with Pippa sitting behind her. Hecate was trying exceptionally hard to focus and ignore Pippa's body pressed tightly against her own; in the past, the two had flown on the same broom and barely touched. However, of course Pippa being her usual self insisted on being as close to Hecate as possible, always preferring physical contact. And Hecate certainly wasn't going to argue.  
As they flew, Pippa cautiously lifted her hands from the broomstick handle and with great tenderness she rearranged Hecate's thick woollen scarf, being sure her best friend was covered up and protected against the harsh winter weather.  
With Hecate finally spotting the small white patch, hiding amongst the thick evergreen forest, she tipped the front of the broomstick downwards and, with her usual grace, the brunette easily landed without even a hint of turbulence.  
Having brushed out the wrinkles from her flying cloak. Hecate looked up for Pippa; she smiled upon seeing the blonde already crouching on the ground, her fingers delicately stroking the captivating petals of the snowdrops.  
"Oh Hiccup! You are so brilliant for finding these." Pippa gasped, her voice barely audible as if she didn't want to wake the forest from it's icy slumber.  
With a casual smile and a shrug, Hecate kneeled down beside Pippa, the frosty leaves crunching underneath her knees. Carefully holding a snowdrops in her fingertips, being careful not to shatter the frozen leaves, the witch could hear nothing but Pippa's breathing and the torrent of blood rushing past her ears.  
"Aren't they the most gorgeous plant you've ever seen? So angelic and delicate, yet they thrive in such a hostile climate." Frozen breaths trailed up towards the white sky as Pippa gazed at the plants. Her hazel eyes shone with love and appreciation.  
"Breathtaking." Hecate agreed. Unbeknownst to Pippa, Hecate was fondly gazing straight at her, heart fluttering like a newspaper in the wind.  
After the cold on their knees had become unbearable, both witches stood up, careful not to disturb the plants any longer. Pippa wanted nothing more than to pick some of the flowers, some to keep and some to send back to her mother - however, she loved them far too much to pick them. A witch always understood that nature is not anyone's to own. Love is about appreciation and reverence, never possession.  
Turning to face Hecate, Pippa gave in to her urges and enveloped the brunette in a close hug, her arms firm around the witch's neck. Without hesitation, Hecate wound her slim arms tightly around the blonde's waist, pulling her as near as possible. She felt as light as helium as she leaned into Pippa. The heavenly feeling of the blonde's lithe body pressed tightly against her own, the sunny warmth seeping through their thick coats, made Hecate feel as if she was freefalling, no gravity chaining her to the ground.  
"Thank you. You really are my closest friend." Pippa murmured into Hecate's ear, quiet despite them being completely alone.  
"And you are mine, Pipsqueak."  
Wisps of hair from Hecate's braid tickled Pippa's neck as she slightly withdrew from the hug, the sensation sending shivers down her spine for a reason she couldn't explain. With their faces almost touching, Pippa slowly placed a soft kiss on Hecate's cheek, her scents of cinnamon and coffee making the blonde feel lightheaded. Lips warm against Hecate's cold skin, time seemed to slow as the kiss lingered for a moment too long. As ever, Pippa had rendered Hecate both breathless and speechless. She could do nothing but watch the blonde; lips slightly parted and her hazel eyes wide with exhilaration, she could barely bring herself to let go of Pippa. There was nothing she wanted more than to sink back into her body, inhale the sweet scents of roses and feel her soft lips on her skin once more.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit of angst here. Enjoy :)

Early one Sunday morning, a tentative knock came unexpectedly on Pippa’s door.   
“Come in!” Pippa chirped. With a roll of the eyes, Hecate shook her head - only her best friend could ever be cheerful at this horrid time in the morning.  
Slightly opening the door, Hecate peered her head into the blonde’s room. “Pippa? Sorry to disturb y-“  
“Don’t be silly! Come in Hiccup, I was going to come and find you soon anyways.”  
“Okay, wonderful.” With a smile, Hecate closed the door and rushed towards the bed, happily flopping down cross legged in front of Pippa.  
“Oh your braid’s coming undone! Here, turn around and let me redo it.” Pippa noticed, her eyes crinkled with a smile. Gladly turning around to face the window, Hecate serenely closed her eyes to the morning sun. Tingles ran down her spine as Pippa pulled out the band imprisoning her wild curls and, with a through tussle, freed them once again. After combing her fingers through the brown mane, Pippa started to redo the plait, focusing on keeping it exactly in the centre just as she knew Hecate liked it.  
“Pipsqueak can I ask a big favour of you?” Hecate asked, her voice easily giving away the bliss of feeling Pippa’s hands caress her hair.  
“Always! Just as long as it isn’t another makeover, seeing as how well it went last time.”   
“I concur.” Shuddering, Hecate grimly recalled when her best friend had tried to introduce her to a more glamorous (and pink) hairstyle - she couldn’t get the glitter out of her hair for weeks afterwards. “Anyways, I was hoping that you could teach me how to stir.”  
“To stir what?” Pippa giggled, trying hard to focus on the braid and conversation at the same time. She had personally always chosen an easy ponytail (and have Hecate tie the ribbon), or used magic to do her hairstyles. However she knew just how much her best friend loved doing her hairstyles by hand.  
“Potions, Pipsqueak! Potions!” Hecate exclaimed, the exasperation in her voice softened by her smile. “Ever since I hurt my wrist something has been off. Just yesterday I tried to make a simple laughing potion - it took absolutely ages and I had to start over at one point!”  
“Oh dear!” Pippa immediately noticed the worry masked in Hecate's tone. With a satisfied sigh she finished Hecate’s braid and quickly wrapped the hair band around the end. It was by far her best attempt to date. “No worries, practise makes perfect.”  
“I know. I’m just worried; potions are so importa-“ Hecate stopped upon feeling Pipps’s hands on her shoulders, calming her as they gave a reassuring squeeze.  
"Right. Let me put on some more appropriate attire and then we can do to Faversham's lab and practise until you're back to your old perfect self, okay?" Smiling, Pippa watched with fondness in her gaze as Hecate quickly whipped her head round, grinning ear to ear.  
"Really? Oh great thank you Pip!"  
"Anytime!" Pippa laughed, admiring how the tight braid further accentuated her best friend's sharp cheekbones.

"Okay so the book says to stir twenty times clockwise." Pippa instructed from the other side of the bench to her best friend. Slowly, Hecate began to stir the magenta liquid, tightly gripping the ladle in her slight hand. A concentrated crease developed in the witch's brow as she focused on keeping her stirring as constant as possible. Suddenly, Hecate put down the ladle with a sigh.  
"It's not working Pipsqueak. I can already feel it's not right!" There was an absence of the usual magic bubbling up from the cauldron, and Hecate couldn't feel the usual tingling in her fingertips.   
"It's alright Hiccup! I promised we'd stay until you're back on top form and I meant it." Seeing the frustration in Hecate's creased brow, Pippa fondly placed her hand atop her best friend's clenched fist. "Let's try it again, but this time try to focus on holding the ladle with a lighter grip."

"Oh yes, that's much better!" Pippa encouraged, beaming at the faint smile playing on Hecate's lips. With the cauldron between them, Pippa happily watched as Hecate continued to stir the potion - her two favourite things. Hecate and magic.  
"I'm not sure Pip, it still feels rather strange." Knuckles white, Hecate was trying her best to follow the blonde's advice and loosen her grip; it was proving very difficult, her anxiety and residual weakness from her wrist taking over.  
"You're doing well but you need to loosen your grip and drop your wrist; get closer to the potion. I know your wrist is a little sore but please don't be too harsh on yourself Hiccup. You're already doing loads better!" Pippa had once fallen off a tree when she was a smaller; she'd hurt her hip and for weeks, even months afterwards, it had felt awkward and odd whenever she'd ridden on her broomstick. To feel as if you've lost something, perhaps forever, of which you held so dear to your heart was beyond painful. And so Pippa empathised with her best friend. However, just as she had finally rode her broomstick as well as before, she was confident that Hecate would also soon recover her aptitude for making the perfect potion.  
Upon seeing Hecate slightly unclench her grip, the ladle becoming freer in her hand, Pippa smiled.  
"That's much better! Just try to drop your wrist now and it'll be wonderful." Instructions beside her, Pippa carefully read them out, as eager for Hecate to improve as she was. Upon seeing Hecate's reluctance, Pippa stepped closer to the bench and lightly placed her hand atop the brunette's. "Like this, Hiccup." Pippa murmured, gently guiding Hecate's hand as it circled around the cauldron.   
Hecate tried very hard to focus on the potion. Very hard. And yet she was failing miserably - her brain was solely concentrated on the light touch of Pippa's on her hand and the proximity of the blonde's face to her own as they both peered into the cauldron. Tingles ran up her spine; at first, she just assumed it was the predictable effect of Pippa's close presence. However she soon realised it was magic running through her veins and making her feel alive in the way she had been missing so much.  
"I can feel it working!" Hecate smiled as the potion turned a satisfying shade of blue.   
Pippa beamed at her best friend, pride in her heart. The two witches remained at the cauldron, eventually creating a perfect potion and Hecate's confidence was quickly restored upon creating more perfect potions and hearing Pippa's continuous praise.

\-------------------------------

"Pippa! Have you heard?" Elise exclaimed, barging into Pippa's room without knocking. Giggling, the witch flopped down on Pippa's bed, almost crushing the blonde's feet in the process.  
With weary eyes, Pippa looked up at the excited Elise; she had been curled up with a book about drawing plants, resting after a long week before the dinner bell was rung.  
"What is it Elise?" Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Pippa put down her book and gave Elise her undivided attention, mistake as it may be. She was fully expecting her friend to launch into another long rant over another random boy from the nearby Coopers School for Wizards; many of the girls had tenacious relationships with the young wizards. In comparison, Pippa had never much fancied involving herself with one of the boys, seeing them as a rather unnecessary nuisance in her life. As ever, Pippa was too kind to stop Elise; instead she patiently waited for the witch to start ranting on about the next boy to fall for her charms, and chose to politely ignore the pain from her squashed toes.  
"Old Hardarse has lost her cat! She's going bonkers!" Elise laughed, her eyes wide with excitement.  
"What?" Pippa exclaimed, quickly pulling her blanket off and swinging her legs from under Elise and off the bed. "Where is she?"  
A bewildered frown flitted across Elise's face as she watched Pippa put her slippers on with a hectic sense of urgency. "Goddess knows, last time I heard she was tearing the cattery apart!"   
As Pippa rushed out of the room, Elise still giggling. Melody and several other students entered the bedroom, a sudden hubbub of gossip filling the room.

"Hecate? Are you in here?" Slowly pushing the unlocked door open, Pippa entered the cattery, eyes wide at seeing the various pillows and brushes scattered over the floor. Upon straining her ears, the blonde could make out a distinct sniffling coming from somewhere in the dim room. "Hiccup? It's me, where are you?"  
"I'm over here Pippa."   
Pippa quickly made her way across the room, dodging the various cat towers used for visiting or poorly cats. Her heart broke upon seeing her best friend curled up in the corner, arms hugging herself. Despite the dire situation, Pippa couldn't help but notice how fetching the emerald green top was against Hecate's alabaster skin. Loose tendrils of hair were falling out of her braid, the long curls tumbling down her hunched shoulders. Hecate was sobbing quietly, moonlit tears falling down her cold cheeks.   
"Oh Hiccup we'll find her!" Pippa quickly dropped to her knees, taking Hecate's shaking hands in her own and stroking gently. "Please don't cry."  
"S-sorry. She always comes for breakfast, dinner and to sleep in my room; this morning I thought nothing of it - perhaps she caught a nice mouse. But then Morgana didn't come back this evening either and I know something's wrong, I can feel it in the pit of my s-stomach."  
"Okay listen to me, HIccup. Where does she like to go?" Pippa's tone was urgent with passion, her hands squeezing Hecate's.  
"She usually either comes here or sometimes she likes to nap in the proving cupboard in the kitchen." Just like her mistress, Morgana was an aloof, independent being whom enjoyed her own company, which was one of the many reasons Hecate had loved her from the moment they'd met. Even from her first day at the school, when the young witch had no friends and felt lonelier than she'd ever felt in her life, Morgana was there. She was the one comforting constant, even when Hecate wanted nothing more than to return back to her old life where she didn't feel like such an outcast. Whilst becoming friends with Pippa had ceased her loneliness, Hecate still loved Morgana the same and the thought of spending a night without her didn't sit right in her chest.  
"Okay come on, let's check the kitchen before dinner." Half-heaving the witch off the floor, Pippa gave a kind smile that slightly helped to ease Hecate's worrying.  
Both witches wearing their slippers, they ignored the giggles of various Year 1 girls as they rushed down the maze of corridors, finally reaching the kitchens.

Even after turning the kitchen upside down, there was still no sign of Morgana. Pippa could see Hecate's eyes starting to well up again - quickly, she grabbed her hands and held them tight to her chest.  
"Listen. Let's go get some dinner; you need to eat. I promise you we'll keep looking straight afterwards and won't stop until we've found her, okay?" As Hecate gave a small nod, the two left for the dining hall. All the way, Hecate grasped tightly onto Pippa's forearm, as if she was scared she'd feel even more alone and weak if she let go. 

As the two witches quickly ate, Pippa was becoming increasingly worried; holding Hecate's left hand, she could feel the witch trembling. Panic was radiating off the witch who was even paler than normal. Hecate did little but push her fish and potatoes around her plate, the worry clear in her tired eyes.  
Straight after they'd finished eating, Pippa could still see Hecate shivering, her thin cotton top doing little to protect against the near constant draft of the school.   
"Hiccup please go and put on a robe, you look positively frozen. Please. I will meet you back here and we'll continue looking, okay?" Pippa's voice was gentle and compassionate.  
"No we have-"  
"A few more minutes will make no difference. Please." Pippa insisted.  
"Okay Pipsqueak. I'll be right back."  
Still sitting, Pippa watched Hecate run down the corridor, her thick plait swinging wildly behind her. With a sigh Pippa lent her chin on her hand, waiting for Hecate to return and trying to think of where she would go if she was a cat. Suddenly the empty bench in front of her was pulled out and Pippa watched, confused, as Elise, Melody and the rest of the popular Year 1 girls sat down, surrounding her in their gossiped whispers. Pippa raised a questioning eyebrow. She really didn't have the energy nor patience to deal with their silly nonsense now of on today of all days.  
"Look Pip, we really hope you'll see the funny side of all this..." Melody giggled, leaning closer to the still-confused blonde.  
"What? What are you talking about? I'm waiting for Hecate to retur-"  
"Yes we know. That's the problem. Well...." Tiana continued, leaning over Melody's shoulder. The mischievous glint in her eye was clear for all to see. Upon noting Pippa's annoyed and exasperated glare, Elise continued the sentance.  
"We took her silly cat. We thought it would be funny an-"  
"You did what?! Gosh Elise that really is low, even for you lot." Pippa shot a death glare towards the girls. "Where is she?"  
"She's under Tiana's bed, sleeping in a blanket. Look Pip we're sorry, we didn't-"  
"Save it."  
Pippa rushed off towards Tiana's room, thankful it was so close to the dining hall. She knew the girls were jealous of Hecate, but to go this far? She just couldn't understand.

A huge sigh of relief rushed out Pippa's chest upon seeing Morgana's large green eyes peeping out at her from below the bed. "Oh Morgana! Thank heavens you're alright. Come on, let's catch your mistress before she starts wondering where we've both got to." Gently picking her up, Pippa rushed down the hallway. Luckily, she just caught Hecate as she was leaving her room.  
"Morgana! You found her!" Hecate gasped, a great weight lifted off her chest upon seeing her wonderful familiar. Lightly lifting the cat from Pippa's arms, Hecate lovingly nuzzled her nose into Morgana's thick mane of black fur. After being carefully placed back down on the ground, Morgana quickly looked up at her mistress before jumping onto Hecate's pillow and promptly falling back to sleep.  
Turning back to Pippa, a warm smile lighting up her features, Hecate grabbed her best friend's hands and held them close to her.   
"My fondness for you knows no bounds. Thank you dear Pipsqueak." Hecate's voice wobbled slightly upon uttering the blonde's nickname, her wet eyes threatening to release more tears.  
"Oh Hiccup, you'll start me off again!" She briefly looked up to the ceiling, trying hard to not cry. "Please, I have you tell you. Elise's lot did this - they took Morgana as a 'joke' but I didn't know and I definitely didn't find it funny, In fact I find it despicable, what a horrid thing to do-"  
"Pipsqueak stop, please. It's okay. Morgana's back now, thanks to you. I know you would never do something like this; I'm just grateful you brought her back to me." Hecate squeezed her hand; she could feel Pippa shaking with the guilt and shame of what her so called 'friends' had done to the dearest one in her life. Hecate understood - she understood how the girls were feeling. They were jealous that Hecate had, for the last year or so, had Pippa pretty much all to herself. She couldn't forgive them, but seeing as Morgana and Pippa were both okay, she chose to try and forget about it all; she could tell by the fierce fire in Pippa's eyes that it would take a lot more persuading for her best friend to do the same.  
"Thank you. Just know I would do anything for you."  
"Oh come here you sop." Hecate sighed, pulling Pippa into a close hug. Their bodies perfectly fit together like the only two pieces in a puzzle. The surrounding noise from the rest of the students walking through the corridors melted away, leaving the two hugging, with their hearts beating as one.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here are a few one-shot / fluffy bits that I wasn't really sure would make good stand alone chapters, so I've put them all together! Enjoy :)

"Apparently flying lessons are cancelled tomorrow because there's a big thunderstorm on it's way." Hecate was looking curiously up at the blue sky, her arm linked with Pippa's.  
"Really? It looks so perfect though!" She responded, noting the distinct lack of clouds in the impeccable skyline.  
"Perhaps it's the calm before the storm." Hecate grinned.  
"Gosh I hope not-" Suddenly looking at Hecate, Pippa giggled at the rumbles coming from her best friend "-was that your stomach?"  
"Indeed" A blush tinted Hecate's cheeks, earning more giggles from the blonde. Hecate was in fact ravenous; she'd forgotten to eat dinner last night, preoccupied by practising her flying manoeuvres with Pippa and so was eagerly looking forward to breakfast.  
"Come on Hiccup, let's get you some porridge!" Pippa laughed, tugging at Hecate's arm as they entered the dining hall. The large room was, as ever, filled with loud conversation.

As the two witches sat down, Hecate with her cinnamon porridge and Pippa her usual yoghurt and fruit salad, Pippa gazed up at Hecate.  
"Better?" She questioned, smiling as Hecate nodded between mouthfuls of her steaming hot porridge.  
Once Hecate was no longer so hungry, she looked up at the blonde opposite her; her brow creased with worry upon watching Pippa distractedly push her fruit around her plate.  
"What's wrong Pipsqueak?"  
"Nothing." She stopped herself, worry flooding her system. However upon looking up and meeting Hecate's worried gaze, she reluctantly continued. "I was just thinking about the storm, that's all."  
"Are you not looking forward to it?" Hecate asked, the confusion clear in her voice - thunderstorms had always been so exciting to witches. the mix of thunder, lightening and static electricity humming in the air meant the nights were especially powerful and brilliant to either perform immense magic or just to appreciate. Either way, storms had always been cherished by all magical beings.  
"Well...not really to be honest. I've never particularly liked them, even when I was little." The blonde confessed. Her parents had always loved them, as did every other witch and wizard she knew; however there was something about the unpredictable, raw power they contained that always ended up with Pippa feeling frightened and alone whilst everyone else enjoyed the spectacle.  
"Okay, then it's decided." Hecate responded, her brows set.  
"What's decided?"  
"We're going to have the most fantastic evening." Hecate promised with a grin. "Before matron kicks me out, of course." She rolled her eyes; Matron seemed to have a sixth sense for detecting (and putting a stop to) any fun, but the witch hoped she'd be preoccupied by the storm and let them stay together for longer than usual. Hecate gave Pippa's wrist a quick, reassuring squeeze before hungrily returning to her breakfast.  
"Thank you Hiccup, that sounds brilliant!" Pippa beamed. Although her parents loved her with all their hearts, they had never noticed how much she abhorred thunder and lightening; every time a storm rolled into town she'd fake a headache, stomach pains, a sudden tiredness...anything to avoid being outside, vulnerable and small below the flashes of lightening. The blonde's heart swelled with gratitude at Hecate - she really was the best friend in the world. With a final smile, Pippa began to tuck into her breakfast, her previously nervous stomach no longer dampening her appetite. 

Flahses of lightening illuminated the purple sky, the expanse brushed with black, ominous clouds. Cracks of thunder rumbled through the air, their growls exacerbated by the school's position deep in the valley.   
Pippa couldn't stop her hands from trembling as she curled deeper under her blanket; despite her curtains being firmly closed, flashes of bright lightening still continued to light up her room, making her jump every time almost as much as the sudden claps of thunder. She had been desperately trying to distract herself by reading her favourite book under the dim lamp of her lamp, but it was doing little to ease her worry.  
Just as another rumble of thunder threatened to envelope the valley, emitting a warning rumble like an active volcano, a knock came at Pippa's door, causing her to jump even more than usual.   
"C-come in." She murmured, her voice timid and quiet against the loud night.  
As Hecate opened the door, awkwardly balancing two tins and a vinyl in her arms, Pippa's face broke into a relieved smile.  
"Good evening Pipsqueak! Sorry I'm late, I had to get some supplies."  
"No worries, I’m just glad you’re here now." Pippa smiled; her hands were still trembling but Hecate's arrival had helped to ease the fear and worry in her voice. Grinning, Hecate carefully placed the two tins down on Hecate's bed before carefully removing the sleeve of the vinyl. As she walked to the other side of the room, panic rose in Pippa's chest.  
"P-please keep the c-curtains closed." She exclaimed, looking at Hecate with pleading eyes.  
"It's alright Pip. I'm only going to play this on your turntable." Hecate responded, her voice feather-soft and laden with understanding. With a gentle smile, she turned around and cautiously approached the turntable near the window.

After putting the needle on the vinyl, music swam through the air, quickly dulling the growling thunder. With a grin spreading across her face, Hecate turned to look at Pippa, her grin growing even wider as she saw the recognition flash in Pippa’s eyes.  
“Is this-“  
“ABBA!” Both witches exclaimed at the same time, causing Pippa to chuckle.  
“I looked in the library for the most uplifting and jolly music I could find and-“ Hecate held up her hands, letting the melody of Dancing Queen make her point clear. “-obviously ABBA was by far the most suitable candidate!”  
Pippa smiled at Hecate’s enthusiasm, watching as the brunette sat down on the other side of her bed; Hecate knew just how much she loved ABBA and, whilst it wasn’t Hecate’s favourite music, she knew exactly what to pick to cheer Pippa up.  
Furthermore, Pippa noted the fear slowly easing from her chest - a mix of Hecate’s presence, their shared laughter and the unarguably healing properties of 80s disco music.  
“Are you read for the next exciting instalment?” Hecate raised a teasing eyebrow as she reached for the two tins she had brought with her.  
“Most certainly.” Eyes wide with curiosity, Pippa watched as Hecate opened both tins and laid them out between them both.  
One was filled with stacks of cupcakes, iced with the most temptingly pink and shimmery buttercream Pippa had ever seen; there was nothing she wanted more than to feel the smooth, luscious icing on her tongue. And yet, she was momentarily distracted by the other tin; it was filled with a wide assortment of seemingly unconnected objects, ranging from fluffy socks and pink ribbons to a tin of sardines.   
Overwhelmed, Pippa was on the verge of crying when suddenly a clap of thunder came rolling across the valley. As the rumbles rose above the music, Pippa tensed up, the fear igniting her senses.  
“Everything’s alright Pipsqueak.” Hecate murmured, quickly reaching out for and stroking the blonde’s trembling hands. “It’s okay, I’m here. As long as you’re here, I’ll protect you. You’re safe, I promise.” Her eyes were warm with honesty and her characteristic integrity.  
Pippa's smile, small at first, grew as the thunder passed and Hecate's consolations sunk in.  
"Yes, I know. Thank you for all this-" She gestured to the various objects sprawled over her bed. "Anyways, care to fill me in on the exact purpose behind your remaining gifts...?"  
"Oh yes, of course! So obviously I brought pink cupcakes - your favourite. And then I brought along anything I could think of that would help to comfort you. I figured we could listen to music, eat cake, treat Tourmaline and I could possibly try my best to braid your hair, if you would like that?"  
"Gosh Hiccup! I would love that - I would love it all. You're the best friend a girl could wish for."  
"You're very welcome." Hecate smiled, nodding with a roll of her eyes as she watched Pippa gaze longingly at the cupcakes. Gigging, Pippa grabbed a cupcake and fondly peered at the rose icing and then Hecate before taking a big bite, the cream dotting her nose. "You're such an nightmare!" With a affectionate laugh, Hecate warmly wiped the icing from her best friend's nose before taking a cupcake for herself.

For the rest of the night, the two witches ate cupcakes, laughed whilst playing with Tourmaline and laughed even more at Hecate's very questionable braiding skills - there was a reason why she always chose to utilise magic for her hairstyles. The vinyl continued to belt out a continuous stream of ABBA classics, their warm and infectious melodies drowning out the thunder and greatly helping to soothe Pippa's nerves.  
A smile played on Pippa's lips as she watched Hecate stroke Tourmaline; she'd hardly ever been able to bear, let alone actually enjoy, a night invaded by a storm. In previous nights she would've usually been in tears by now, her nerves fraught. But this time she was laughing and smiling, all thanks to Hecate and she couldn't have been more grateful. She also knew just how much Hecate loved thunderstorms and last time she was certain she had spotted Hecate going outside with all the other witches to watch the storm dominate the sky and air; yet this time Hecate had willingly stayed with her. This knowledge made Pippa's heart swell with warmth.

\---------------------------------

"Oh heavens, are you kidding me? That looks like a troll." Hecate raised an eyebrow upon looking at Pippa's curious portrait. Stretching back on the grass, Hecate rested on her elbows, the dry August grass tickling her bare legs. Exams were fast approaching; but for now the two witches were enjoying a short break from their revision, bathing in the fair summer weather.  
"Excuse me Miss Hardbroom!" Pippa exclaimed, putting her pencil down. "And you think you could do much better then, Picasso?" She joked, mock indignation written all over her face. With a teasing poke in her best friend's stomach, she giggled as Hecate pretended to be hurt.  
"Yes but I never claimed that I could draw!" Hecate shrugged with a smug grin.  
"Hmm well apparently neither can I according to some people..." Pippa rolled her eyes, giggling as Hecate gave a shocked gasp.  
"Well practise makes perfect Pipsqueak! Please try again, but this time make my nose...slightly less like a boulder?" Lounging her head back, Hecate raised a questioning eyebrow at the blonde before lifting her face to the warmth of the amber sunbeams.  
"Okay! But this time please can you try to sit still for more than a second?" Warmth filled Pippa as she gazed at her best friend, watching as Hecate's eyes crinkled into a smirk.  
"Oh so now it's my fault your 'drawing skills' aren't up to par?" Hecate questioned, her tone full of mirth and teasing.  
"Shut up!" Pippa tutted, crossing her legs and poising her pencil, ready to start again. "Okay, ready?"  
"Always. Broomsticks crossed I turn out looking less like a disgruntled boggart this time..."  
Pippa cheekily stuck out her tongue before beginning to draw, a concentrated line developing on her forehead. Smiling, Hecate laughed at Pippa's cheekiness - she had always enjoyed making Pippa laugh like she'd never seen anyone else do. With a content smile, Hecate closed her eyes, drinking in the summer sun and letting it's blissful euphoria spread through her body.  
As Pippa's pencil glided across the paper, she took in the beautiful sight before her: long eyelashes, plum lips, sharp cheekbones, luscious curls. She felt her pencil come to a grinding halt as she stared at Hecate. Sun shining on her glowing cheeks, she looked so relaxed and happy; just seeing the curved of her lips made Pippa’s heart flutter. For over a year now, the young witch had been developing deeper feelings for her best friend than she had ever felt for anyone in her entire life. Every time Pippa was with Hecate, she felt like she could do anything, she could be anything. And even when the two witches weren’t together, Pippa found herself unable to stop thinking about Hecate. At first the thoughts had been innocent - what she could do next to surprise the witch, gifts she may like or even seeing something she knew Hecate would find funny. Then, as their relationship developed and Pippa discovered more about her best friend, the thoughts became more suggestive. A kiss pressed to her neck, fingers tangled in her hair, a warm fingertip grazing her inner thigh.   
Never had Pippa experienced these kinds of feelings before; prior to meeting Hecate, she’d always assumed that she would one day meet a wizard and that’d be that. Yet, as years went by and she still hadn’t felt the slightest hint of attraction to any boy she’d met, she chose to ignore the absence of those feelings, deciding to put her love life solely in the hands of Fate.  
Similarly, as soon as Pippa realised she was falling for her best friend (of all people) she bundled up all her feelings and shoved them in a box in the back of her mind, choosing to pretend they didn’t exist instead of actually dealing with them. Gently shaking her head, Pippa felt so confused. Sometimes she felt certain Hecate felt the same way, and other times she was convinced she was making the whole thing up. The warmth in Hecate’s eyes, the care in her touch - how could that possibly just be friendship?  
As Hecate further tipped back her head, to better capture the sun, Pippa watched the loose curls tumble from her braid. Pippa knew her best friend better than anyone else in the world and she knew for certain that Hecate wouldn’t be the one to confront the feelings simmering between them. If someone was going to do it, it would have to be Pippa.  
She felt the magnitude of the situation weigh down on her like a ton of bricks - there was nothing she wanted more than to openly love Hecate, show her to the world, shout her feelings from the rooftops. The Pentangles had never been anything but loving parents - Pippa knew if they found out she’d fallen head over heels in love with a witch, not a wizard, they would still love her all the same. Pippa’s heart swelled, ever grateful to her parents for showing her just how magical love could be.  
Shaking her head slightly, with fond memories of her mother and father replaying in her mind, Pippa returned to drawing Hecate. She felt thankful she was drawing Hecate; the radiance of the sun accentuating her sharp features, her strong jawline and neck muscles, and making her skin positively glow was far too beautiful to not at least try and capture on paper.  
With a final flourish, Pippa grinned. She knew she couldn’t hope to capture all Hecate’s beauty on mere paper, but at least she’d given it her best go. “I’ve finished!”  
Hecate opened her eyes and shuffled closer to Pippa, laughing at Pippa’s mischievous smile as she covered the drawing with her hand. “Come on then, let’s have a look! It surely cannot be worse than last time...”  
Pippa giggled as she removed her hand, letting Hecate see her artwork.  
“Oh Pipsqueak! You really drew this?” Hecate gasped, eyes wide with surprise.  
“Of course I did silly! Who else would it have been?” Rolling her eyes, glee spread Pippa’s lips into an even wider grin.  
"Wow, I take it all back. There really is nothing that Pippa Pentangle cannot do!"  
"Aw Hiccup you're so sweet." Smiling, Pippa leaned into the brunette's body, tenderly stroking her fingers. Hecate's heart was calm and content, forever happiest whenever in the blonde's presence.  
"Okay now it's my turn to impress." Inspired by Pippa's drawing, Hecate figured it would be fun to try and repay the favour.  
"No chance! If your handwriting's anything to go by, I certainly doubt you can do this face justice." Framing her face with her hands, Pippa raised a cheeky eyebrow at Hecate.  
"You're probably right!" Hecate laughed, prising the pencil and paper from Pippa's hands. Without hesitation, she quickly started sketching - the witch had committed Pippa's features to memory a long time ago. "But it definitely doesn't mean I'm not going to try! And at least if you look horrible, I can console you by showing you a mirror." She murmured, her brow knitted in mock concentration.  
Pippa giggled and, resting her head on her chin, felt tingles up her spine as she watched the brunette.

\-----------------------------------

Accompanied by a feeble cough, Hecate curled up into an even smaller ball on her bed, covered in a ton of blankets. Her chest felt like a grand piano had been dropped on it; after all the hard work her and Pippa had put in revising for the exams, she had become so tired and her body hadn't been able to fight off a particularly nasty case of Toad Cough. Groaning, she could do little more than hum in response to the knocking at her door.  
"Oh Hiccup you look awful!" Pippa gasped, closing the door behind her as she quickly made her way to Hecate's bed.  
"Thanks Pippa...you know exactly how to make a girl feel good." Hecate murmured, her sarcasm clear even through the croakiness in her tone.  
"Oh shut up! Look I've brought you some of my mother's lemon cake and also some chicken soup - it's always been my aunt's solution whenever I've been poorly!"  
"Thank you Pip, what would I do without you?" Coughing, Hecate felt so tired she was struggling to even finish her sentences.  
"Goddess knows! Would you like me to try and make a well-being potion?" Pippa asked, leaning down to stroke Hecate's arm as it clutched her pile of blankets.  
"No, no, its alright. I don't want you to go to all that-" A cough suddenly racked through her body, squeezing on her lungs. "-trouble." Hecate wheezed, her skin flushed from the coughing. With a concerned sigh, Pippa clicked her fingers and a hot water bottle appeared in her hand; she could see Hecate shivering even from where she was standing.  
"Okay Hiccup. Move up!" The blonde ordered.  
Obediently Hecate moved over and stretched her body out straight, making enough room for her best friend to lie down next to her. Sliding the hot water bottle under the duvet, Pippa made sure Hecate was warm and comfortable. With a frail sniffle, Hecate rested her heavy head on Pippa's chest, already more comfortable than her pillow. The rhythmic rise and fall of Pippa's chest alongside her consoling presence quickly lulled Hecate back into a deep sleep. Putting her arm around Hecate, Pippa gently pulled the witch closer; whilst she lightly stroked her arm, Pippa whispered soothing sweet nothings into her ear as Hecate drifted off. Being careful not to wake Hecate from her slumber, Pippa slowly untangled her braid, delicately combing her fingers through the fountain of cocoa curls. Listening to the rasp of Hecates chest, the occasional uneasy stir in her sleep, Pippa felt anxious; she just prayed Hecate would soon be back to her normal self.   
Unbeknownst to Hecate, Pippa had made a resolute decision last night - she'd promised herself that, at some point in the next school year, their final school year, Pippa would tell Hecate how she'd fallen deeply in love with her. But for now, she just wanted them both to enjoy the summer, free of the constant revision and exams that had loomed over their heads for the last few months. As she gently rested her head against Hecate's, Pippa smiled. The warmth of the physical contact between the two witches soon helped Pippa doze off.   
Just before she fell asleep, Pippa had one final, conscious thought. The other day she'd read in a magazine that love was when you put someone else's needs before your own. And here she was, protecting and soothing an ill Hecate, instead of enjoying the August sun and exam freedom. Pippa also knew that there was no where she would ever rather be than right here, by Hecate's side.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was by far my most favourite to write, so I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did creating it. :)

Excitement moved through the halls of St Hubbard's. The final years were ecstatic and it was spreading throughout the school; their exams had just finished and already the girls were forgetting all about them, fun celebrations already the only things on their mind. Summer sun shone through the school, lighting it up like a wildfire. Students celebrated, carefree, laughter in their hearts and happiness in their smiles.  
There was so much to look forward to in the next couple of days - not only were the exams finished, but tomorrow was the End of Year ball and the day after was the big annual St Hubbards Magical Sporting tournament. The tournament had been the pride of the school for centuries; every year the school hosted witches and wizards from all over the country, competing in everything from flying demonstrations and speed swimming to magical orienteering. Ever since the tournaments had started, trophies had always littered the halls of St Hubbards, proud of all the students had accomplished and leaving room for their future achievements.

"I can't believe school's finally over!" Pippa skipped down the hallway, dragging a laughing Hecate by her side.  
"Agreed. Now we can celebrate like there's no tomorrow!" Hecate responded, sarcasm dripping like honey from her voice. As Pippa giggled, she continued to drag Hecate down the halls and finally out into the St Hubbards gardens, the beautiful ground drenched in amber sun.  
"Come on Hiccup, lets sit down and relax."  
"Okay." Grinning, Hecate sat down, the soft, warm grass to brushing against her bare legs.  
"Gosh I'm so excited for tonight! Although I do know it's not exactly your idea of fun." Pippa sat, facing the brunette, and grabbed her hands with passion and excitement glimmering in her hazel eyes.  
"I know. But I'll get to see you and that's certainly good enough for me." Hecate responded, tenderly squeezing Pippa's delicate hands. "Oh but please Pipsqueak, let me see what you're wearing? You all but picked mine!" Indignance clear in her tone, the imploring glint in her eyes betraying just how much she wanted to peek at Pippa's outfit for the ball.  
"No chance Hiccup!" The blonde gasped; she had been planning her outfit for months and could feel her heart thumping at the anticipation of seeing Hecate's reaction to her outfit.  
"Oh please? Don't be such a tease!" Hecate poked Pippa's thighs, earning another laugh from the blonde.  
"You'll just have to wait for the big reveal I'm afraid..." The naughty undertone to her voice made Hecate's heart beat a little faster than before.  
"I am anticipating great things." Hecate tried to match Pippa's flirtatious fun; for so long their conversations had contained playful teasing but had deepened into something more serious and wanting, their desires failing to be hidden increasingly often.  
"As am I, Miss Hardbroom." A blush soon tinted Pippa's tanned cheeks.

"Gosh I do hope all our practise has paid off." Pippa murmured sometime later, a shadow of a flying witch across the sky reminding her of what was expected of them both tomorrow morning. However, upon seeing the crease form in her best friend's brow, Pippa rolled her eyes. "Oh don't tell me you've forgotten? Remember, we're performing the doubles-"  
"Flying demonstration? I know! I would never forget." Hecate opened her eyes, smiling at Pippa as the worry eased from her face.  
"I know Hiccup. And I don't want you to worry; with the best flier by my side, I am certain we'll be brilliant." Instinctively grabbing the brunette's hand, Pippa gave a comforting smile. She knew that Hecate hadn't been particularly keen on competing in the tournament - the witch had never enjoyed being put on show for everyone to see and, no matter how many times Pippa tried and despite the many awards she'd won, deep down Hecate hadn't ever felt confident enough to sign up to compete. And yet, when their flying teacher asked them both to compete (and Pippa completely failed to hide the hide and excitement from her face), Hecate could hardly say no.   
"indeed." Hecate smiled, squinting against the powerful sun. Pippa closed her eyes, portraying the perfect picture of serenity.

However, on the inside the blonde was no where near as calm. Nerves jangling, she could feel the impending pressure of that evening's events weighing down her heart like an anchor. For she had decided, weeks, even months, ago that tonight would be the night. The night she finally told her best friend she was in love with her. Pippa ignored the breath caught in her throat - underneath the gracious façade, Pippa had never been one to deal well with rejection and it had always been one of her greatest fears. Yet she knew her Hiccup wouldn’t just abandon her; if Hecate reciprocated her feelings, that would be perfect. And if she didn’t, Pippa was sure she would somehow find a way to just about deal with it, as long as Hecate remained by her side. 

After a while, Hecate sat up, using her palm to shield her eyes from the harsh glare of the sun. “Okay, that’s enough lazing about for one day. We’d better get in some practise whilst we still can.”  
“Agreed - it’d be such a shame not to fly in such wondrous conditions!” Pippa noted whilst standing up and brushing the dry grass from her pink dress. With a huff, Hecate also stood up, the grass stuck all over her clothes earning a giggle from the blonde.  
“Race you to the broomstick cupboard?” With a teasing glint in her eye, the blonde became poised and ready to start running.  
“Oh for Heaven's sake, you are such a child Pippa.” Hecate scorned, her analysis accompanied by a huff and a signature eye roll. Nevertheless, as soon as Pippa started running, Hecate sprinted straight after her, their laughs carried by the warm summer breeze.

\--------------------

Serene classical music floated down the softly lit halls, serenading anyone who stopped to listen. But most of the Year 3 witches were congregated in the main hall, all dancing to the beautiful music. Everyone, even the teachers, were relaxing and enjoying the celebrations; even Ms Faversham had adorned a flowing black dress, quietly talking with a few of the other teachers. The long-awaited Evening ball was finally upon the students, a reward for their hard work in the past three years. The school was so much more than brick and mortar; it was the students, their minds, spirits and magic, that made the school as spectacular as it was. As the witches milled about, all looking beautiful in long evening dresses, some adorning tall heels or elegant gloves, they had all grown into gorgeous young witches finally ready to face the world and put what they'd learnt into practise. Graduating wizards from the nearby Coopers School for Wizards had also made the journey, many with their arms around their girlfriend's waist or shoulders.   
Hecate was standing by the window, wistfully gazing out of the window at the moonlit gardens. She was alone, the rest of the witches absorbed in dancing with their boyfriends or friends, and she was waiting. The brunette gave a small smile; Pippa's insistence at being fashionably late was extremely predictable.   
Suddenly a silence fell over the room. Hushed whispers replaced the previously loud hubbub of conversation filling the large hall. Hecate slowly turned around, an expectant tingle rising up her spine. Everyone else faded away as her searching gaze finally settled on Pippa, stood under the elegant arched doorway.   
A breath caught in her throat as Hecate admired Pippa. The most breath-taking ruby-red dress adorned the blonde's lithe body, hugging her curves in all the right places and revealing a teasing hint of cleavage. Shoulderless, the dress showed off the rolling curves of her collarbones, which were embellished with a small glittering necklace. Hecate looked up to her beautiful face, framed by blonde curls which were pinned to her head like the most angelic halo.  
Slowly walking towards Pippa, the brunette desperately tried to regain her breath.  
“Pippa you look...spectacular.” Hecate murmured, finding herself uncharacteristically lost for words.  
Fondly gazing at Hecate, the blonde smiled. Her warm hazel eyes said everything she couldn’t say: her appreciation, adoration and spell binding love for the witch before her. “Thank you darling. And you look positively breath-taking.” Pippa whispered, her words heard only by Hecate before being carried away by the soft music. As ever, Pippa spoke her mind - Hecate really did look magnificent. A dark emerald dress with a plunging neckline graced her body, the smooth silk elegant against the thin string of pearls trailing around her neck. For the first time in many years, Hecate had chosen to wear her hair down, the cocoa tresses cascading down her back.  
"May I have this dance?" Hecate asked, her eyes shimmering with tenderness.  
"With delight." Pippa beamed. Unable to stop herself any longer, Hecate delicately snaked her arms around Pippa's waist, bringing the two closer. If anyone around them had noticed, the didn’t say anything. Everyone was all too wrapped up in their own dancing and fun to notice the two girls, stood in the middle of the hall, surrounded by many but only ever seeing each other.  
For the rest of the evening, the two witches were inseparable, Pippa’s touch never once leaving Hecate’s waist. Even as the blonde dutifully made pleasant conversation with their former classmates, Hecate never left her side, as faithful as a familiar to her mistress.   
Every time Hecate looked at Pippa, she couldn’t stop the tears from welling in her eyes, the breath from catching in her throat - she felt so blessed and wondered how she had ever lived without Pippa by her side.  
Unbeknownst to her companion, Pippa was wondering the exact same questions, but she knew. She knew that in the past, yes she’d survived without Hecate, but lived? Never.  
A needle static briefly buzzed in the room before the air burst to life with a new tune: Put Your Head on My Shoulder by Paul Anka. Perhaps humans didn’t have magic, but by Goddess they had music and that was certainly close enough. As the students swayed together, some with their beloved and some with their friends, Hecate gazed at Pippa with a sunny warmth, smiling as Pippa rested a hand on her chest and her head against Hecate’s shoulder. They both moved with the music, letting their hearts beat as one and themselves drift off until it was just them two, alone.

With the final few tired students leaving the hall, some going on to continue the celebrations in their rooms and others sneaking out with their partners, Hecate and Pippa were still swaying in the middle of the hall.  
“Hiccup please can we lie below the stars?” Pippa whispered into the witch’s brown curls.  
“That sounds divine.” She answered, smiling as Pippa led her by the hand out of the hall and out into the gardens, the warm evening’s breeze gently blowing the curls off Hecate’s face. With the soft grass tickling their bare skin, both witches laid down in the grass, side by side and almost touching. They stared up at the beautiful starry sky, the magnitude of the universe pressing down on them; Hecate sighed, a contentedness spreading throughout her core.  
In comparison, Pippa was as nervous as could be; she felt the warm air suffocating her, her head feeling light and her heart pounding, heavy in her chest. She terribly wanted to stay in the moment, her best friend beside her, both gazing up at the stars and feeling so safe and calm.  
And yet she knew that she would never be able to forgive herself if she let this moment pass without telling Hecate how she really felt. She couldn't just let the one person she had ever loved slip through her fingers like sand.  
“Hiccup, I desperately n-need to tell you something...important.” Pippa whispered, her quiet voice heavy with worry and fear.  
“Don’t keep me in suspense then Pipsqueak, what's on your mind?” Her voice was light with happiness and a warmth Pippa prayed wouldn’t fade in the coming moments.  
“O-okay. Please just let me say it.” She murmured - Pippa was afraid that if she was interrupted she may never finish and she’d end up letting the opportunity fall. Her pulse thundered though her body, her heart laden with anticipation. Sweat glistened her back, nerves dried her mouth, anticipation pricked her skin. It was now or never. She could just hope her voice wouldn't fail her.  
Upon hearing Hecate’s silence, Pippa urged herself to go on. She had practised this countless times in her head, but actually saying the words out loud was a whole other story.  
“You are so precious to me. I know you’re well aware but what you don’t know...what you d-don’t know is just how divine how you are. Darling ever since we met, my heart has been wholly yours. Hecate please know that I love you. And I-I love you more every day.”  
Silence.   
It pressed down on Pippa’s chest; she could barely breathe, the tension in the evening air making her lightheaded.   
Hecate inhaled sharply. As her heart suddenly leapt to life from it’s comfortable lull, the witch couldn’t hide the shock in her voice.  
“You love me?” Uncertainty wavered in every syllable.  
“Yes. Please, please I’m not sure I can say it ag-“  
“I love you too. Pippa you mean more to me than you could ever know.” Hecate murmured, the words tumbling out of her like water from a burst pipe. The warm air between them was electric, a single spark threatening to set the whole school alight. Cautiously, Pippa reached out for Hecate, her hand brushing against the soft grass until she finally wrapped her fingers around Hecate's, tightly grasping for an anchor to tether her to the ground.   
Seconds turned to minutes, minutes into hours. The two witches talked until the cold midnight air began biting at Pippa's legs; at first, the two had been tentative and not sure what to say. But soon enough they easily slipped back into their normal conversation; in some ways, both had recognised the love between them for a while and thus Pippa's confession didn't come as a great surprise to either witch.  
"Come on, let's go Hiccup - we need to be on tip top shape for tomorrow." The reluctance was heavy in Pippa's tone as she stood up and brushed the hay off her red dress.  
"Indeed." Hecate also stood up and instinctively grasped Pippa's hand, their fingers perfectly intertwining. The warmth and happiness radiating from the two witches was overwhelming; magic hummed in the air, spreading through the night like the most intoxicating perfume. Sweet roses swirled with woody cinnamon, the scents perfectly complementing each other. 

"Thankyou for walking me to my door Hiccup." A smile lit up Pippa's face as she gazed coquettishly at Hecate through her long, blonde eyelashes.  
"Anytime Pip." Hecate replied, stepping into the empty space between the two witches.  
"And I really, honestly did mean what I said earlier." Tenderly placing her hand on Hecate's chest, Pippa whispered tone conveyed her honesty.  
"As did I. From the bottom of my heart."   
Unable to help herself, Hecate leant forwards and kissed Pippa, the heat pressing them together. Pippa's eyebrows briefly shot up in surprise - she'd always assumed she'd be the one first kissing Hecate, not the other way round. Nevertheless, she quickly found herself unable to form any sort of coherent thoughts in her mind. For so long, she had imagined this happening and her body instinctively took over.  
Wrapping her hand around Hecate's waist, Pippa pulled the witch closer and leaned her lithe frame into Hecate's, their bodies melting together as one. With a slight moan, Hecate pushed deeper, her lips already tingling from the wondrous mix of Pippa's magic, warmth and love. Smiling, Pippa ran her hand through her brown, luscious curls, tangling them around her fingers and allowing herself to get lost in them, lost in Hecate. Hecate yearned to touch Pippa, feel her soft skin as she had dreamt of doing so many times before; her hands moved slowly from Pippa’s neck and down her spine, resting against her back as Hecate deepened her kiss, meeting a desire she had ignored for so long.  
Tentatively at first, Pippa ran her tounge lightly across Hecate's bottom lip and, upon feeling the brunette slightly part her lips, entered Hecate. In that moment, they both had everything they could ever want. Unconditional love and adoration.   
Breathless, Hecate finally pulled herself away, opening her eyes and trying to ground against the sway of light-headedness. Pippa's eyes fluttered open, her dilated pupils dark with passion and desire.   
"Gosh you've been keeping those skills secret..." Pippa teased. She was trying hard to ignore the throb of her now swollen lips.  
"I-I could say the same about you." Hecate mumbled, her voice hoarse. With a giggle, Pippa carefully smoothed down Hecate's hair, the curls tousled by her hands. For a moment, the two looked at each other, their gazes full of warmth.  
"I'm so excited for tomorrow! I'm expecting you up bright and early Hiccup." Pippa quickly changed the subject, trying desperately to ignore how much she yearned to feel Hecate’s lips against her own once more.  
"Yes Miss Pentangle. Goodnight." Hecate smiled, exhaustion flooding her body; if she wanted to do Pippa proud, the witch figured she’d better at least try and get some rest.  
"Goodnight darling."  
Just as Hecate turned to leave for her own room, Pippa stopped her and placed a tender kiss on her still flushed cheek. With a final gaze and smile, Hecate left. As she quietly padded down the hallway, Pippa found herself unable to keep the smile off her lips whilst watching Hecate’s svelte silhouette fade into the dark night. Softly closing the door, Pippa gave a happy sigh before flopping down onto her bed, unable to believe her luck. She quickly fell into a deep sleep, soothed by the residual tingles from where Hecate's hands had once roamed over her skin. 

But In a room on the opposite side of the school, sleep didn’t come so easily. In fact, it didn’t come at all. The brunette was staring firmly up at the ceiling, tears forming in her tired eyes. Pippa had said she loved her. And of course Hecate had said it back - and she had meant it with every atom in her body.   
_But how could she possibly love me?_ Hecate remembered all the times she'd been upset, angry or otherwise downtrodden...and all the times Pippa had been there to pick her back up. Every single time, Hecate had felt like she was dragging her best friend down a little bit more. How is that love?  
She felt lightheaded and weak; the tightness spreading across her chest left the witch struggling for her next breath. Shooting pains jolted through her body, originating from her stomach. As Hecate curled up on her side like a wounded animal, salty tears rushed down her cheeks.  
Finally her breathing started to return to normal, but she still couldn't shake the feeling of deep panic brewing in her chest. All her life, Hecate had felt underpar; she was never popular, or funny, or even noticeable. Unlike so many girls around her, Hecate had never really felt beautiful nor loved. Until Pippa. The image of the blonde witch brought a fresh river of tears, their path stronger and faster than before. From the moment she had met Pippa, Hecate had known there was something different about her, and something different about herself whenever she was around Pippa. As time went on, she couldn't ignore the happiness that took over her whenever she was with her best friend - she'd never experienced it before, but soon enough she was certain she was in love.  
The kiss was incredible - everything Hecate could've wished for and more. Having the blonde in her grasp, her tongue inside her lips, her fingers tugging her hair, her body pressed against her-  
Hecate stopped herself.   
Guilt gnawed away at her insides. Ever since Pippa had first sat next to her in their Potions class, there had always been a part of Hecate that felt criminally guilty. Guilty for taking Pippa away from the life she ought to be living - if it wasn't for Hecate, she would've remained with the popular crowd, laughing and enjoying three fun, carefree years with all the other glamorous girls. Over the years, Hecate couldn't ignore the thoughts that plagued her and made her well aware that she had been chaining the angel that was Pippa Pentangle to the ground. Beautiful, clever, breathtaking Pippa.  
Hecate had never been able to see what Pippa had always seen in her; upon looking in the mirror, all she saw was a meek, studious witch staring back at her, who had done very little to deserve someone as wonderful as Pippa by her side. Her heart felt torn; obviously she wanted, more than anything in the world, to stay in Pippa's company and enjoy the happiness that always came with it. However, she knew she wasn't good enough. Would never be good enough.   
Tears blurring her vision, Hecate looked around her moonlit room, the shadows of her broomstick bristles catching her eye. With a sigh, she stood up. The realisation of what she had to do weighed heavy on her mind.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am beyond thankful to anyone who's read this fic, I haven't written in a while and I'm so glad Hicsqueak inspired me to write again - I forgot how much I love it! Just to say, this is the last chapter of this fic but I am hoping to write a sequel. Thankyou, and I will always be grateful for any reviews :)

Even more than usual, the school was rife with chaos; girls running left, right and centre, desperately trying to relocate lost clothes, cloaks, brooms and all sorts. Wizards were arriving from Coopers, witches from Tanglewood and many more students were still due to arrive, all to compete in the annual St Hubbards Magical Sporting tournament. Only the best graduating students were due to compete - however, the tournament had always amassed a huge amount of spectators.

Smiling, Pippa awoke with a stretch. As she stood and moved over to her mirror, she saw a fresh faced and excited witch looking back at her. Her heart had been soaring ever since she'd admitted her true feelings to Hecate, the smile a permanent fixture on her lips; never in her wildest dreams had she expected her confession to go down so well.  
Quickly, Pippa got ready, making sure not to crease her freshly laddered pink flying cape. Although nervous about the competition, she was so excited to see Hecate again - her stomach was doing triple backflips, making sure to remind her of the many emotions flying around her mind. Scraping her curls up into a tight ponytail, she grabbed a pink ribbon from her dresser. For over three years, she had let Hecate tie the bow in her hair every single morning. As she turned to leave the room, a sudden wave of nostalgia washed over Pippa; for so long this little, warm room had been her home and today was her last day before becoming a witch, not just a student.  
With a happy lightness in her step, Pippa grinned and slipped out of the room towards the dining hall. She’d decided to grab a quick breakfast before heading out to the flying field; her and Hecate were due to perform in just over an hour and Pippa needed some porridge to calm her nerves.

As she ate her breakfast, the hall quiet bar a few chattering Year 1s, Pippa tried to slow her racing heartbeat. She smiled upon noticing Hecate’s absence from breakfast - she pictured the witch getting in a final few moments of practise on their already perfect routine. Hecate and Pippa were both such perfectionists.  
Casting her mind back to the previous evening, a blush warmed Pippa’s cheeks. Upon hearing those wonderful words tumble from of Hecate’s lips, Pippa honestly couldn’t have been happier. She’d always thought that she was good at judging people and reading their true characters; she’d always assumed she knew her best friend, the one person closest to her, better than anyone else. And perhaps she did. Even then, there was the small but momentous part of Hecate that she’d kept hidden - the part that loved Pippa back.  
She really couldn’t believe it. With a slight shake of her head, the blonde forced herself to keep eating, suddenly feeling faint again.

Meanwhile, Hecate’s room was soullessly empty. The bookshelves devoid of her beautiful books, her wardrobe and dresser empty, Morgana nowhere to be seen. There was no sign of anyone ever inhabiting the room, aside from one single piece of paper, gently resting against the pillow.

Crouching down in the shadows of the pillars at the forefront of the school, Hecate did up her ebony flying cloak. Resisting the urge to run back to Pippa, Hecate strode out of the school gates, Morgana resting on her shoulders and her broomstick and suitcase in either hand. Her strong stride never faltered, never betrayed her uncertainty.  
A tear rolled down Hecate’s cheek as she rose into the air, leaving a final, sorrowful glance behind her.

Soon enough, St Hubbard’s was nothing but a mere dot in the landscape, her parent’s house growing closer by the minute. Although the air was warm, as she continued to rise the breeze become colder and bit at the skin uncovered by her scarf. Hecate tried very hard to ignore the fact that, if Pippa was behind her like usual, she would feel warm and Pippa would already be rearranging her scarf, always knowing what she needed before she had even asked for it.  
Hecate also couldn’t stop herself from imagining the anguished cries of Pippa, the uncontrollable wails arising from her like car brakes screeching - little did she know they were very, very real. 

“You deserve the universe and I am barely a star. Sorry. H.”  
The paper trembled in Pippa’s weak hands, salty tears causing the ink to spread across the paper, darkness infiltrating the pale parchment.  
Sobs racked Pippa’s suddenly frail body; she felt hopeless, helpless. The words were nothing. They did nothing to console Pippa - if she could’ve seen Hecate, just one last time, perhaps she could’ve changed her mind? Told her that she wanted, needed, simply had to have her by her side? And she really, truly was the brightest star Pippa had ever seen, and was the only one she wanted?  
Knuckles white, Pippa suddenly moaned, thrusting the paper down on the bed and rushing out the room. There were barely any students left in the hallways, and those who did notice the tears spilling from her eyes didn’t dare ask what was wrong.

She sprinted towards the front gate, power in every stride. Usually Pippa wasn’t much of a runner but when it came to Hecate, her body took over and suddenly she was faster than the speed swimmers. Squinting up into the sky, she ignored the blinding sun and focused on scanning the skyline for her Hecate.  
The sky was so clear it was practically impossible to miss the black dot - with her dark cape flowing behind her, it was unmistakably Hecate.  
Pippa hollered, screamed at the top of her lungs, her shouts mixed with her sobs. Eventually, once her throat was worn raw and Hecate had retreated into the distance, Pippa stopped shouting, letting the sobs take hold of her body once more. She sunk to the ground as a fresh wave of tears overcame her eyes, leaving salty splashes all over her cloak and the dry ground. Pippa brought her trembling hands to her pale cheeks and tipped her head into them, her grief overcoming her. As more terrible realisations began to surface, she could only weep harder - she didn’t know where Hecate’s parents lived, meaning that she had no way to write to her let alone mirror or transfer to Hecate. Her chest felt like the darkest of chasms, threatening to swallow her whole.  
Pippa’s fragile heart had been shattered by her best friend, all because she thought she wasn’t enough. If only Pippa could see her, tell her that she was more than enough. She was all Pippa had ever wanted; soon the blonde would come to feel anger towards her abandonment, but for now all she could feel was a numb misery. The flying tournament was long forgotten as she curled up on the grass, letting her tears mix with the dust and trying desperately to pretend Hecate was lying next to her.


End file.
